Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old son of supermodel Cindy Crawford, had a well-documented history of depression and panic attacks before his untimely demise at a treatment facility in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 20.
But his mental health struggles were not the only difficulties he had faced in recent years.
The young man had also been known to misuse illicit substances, adding another layer to his personal challenges.
Highlights
- Presley Gerber had openly discussed his battles with depression, panic attacks, and substance dependence on social media.
- A source with direct knowledge of the circumstances surrounding his passing claimed that misuse of illicit compounds may have contributed to the tragedy.
- Cindy Crawford had celebrated her son just months earlier, while his sister Kaia had recently opened up about the effect his difficulties had on their family.
Now, as details surrounding his demise continue to emerge, a source close to Gerber has claimed that his reliance on the same highly risky compounds may have contributed to the circumstances surrounding his passing.
Fresh claims suggest substance misuse led to Presley Gerber’s passing
Gerber was living with several other people at a rehabilitation facility when he breathed his last. According to a TMZ source with direct knowledge of the tragedy, he appears to have suffered a fatal o**rdose.
His family, who has asked for “privacy during this difficult and painful time,” was given the same cause of demise, the individual claimed.
The detail emerged shortly after the medical examiner’s office linked to the case told People that an autopsy, including toxicology testing to determine what substances were present in Gerber’s body, was scheduled for today.
“The investigation is still ongoing, and there is limited information available,” the statement read, per the outlet.
“D**th was pronounced at 9:45 hours on September 20, 2026, by responding paramedics. The Santa Monica Police Department is the investigating law enforcement agency,” it added.
Gerber had followed his mother into the modeling world and walked for brands including Pepsi, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Bottega Veneta, and Burberry.
He had previously spoken about a near-fatal experience involving a synthetic narcotic.
Presley Gerber once said he landed in a coma after fentanyl misuse
Gerber had been open about his mental health struggles over the years and candidly shared his experiences through Instagram videos titled “Mental Health Mondays.”
He mentioned taking medication for panic attacks in a since-deleted video shared in December.
“Honesty is the best policy,” he said as he made the confession.
Crawford was quick to show her support, commenting under the video at the time, “We love you and you are not alone.”
In another video from 2024, Gerber spoke about his dependence on fent**yl, saying that misusing it once landed him in a coma.
A third clip showed him expressing a desire to make meaningful changes to his lifestyle, including becoming more physically active.
He explained that he was a “very active” kid growing up and enjoyed water sports such as surfing, swimming, aquatic polo, and more.
Entering showbiz, he said, left him with little time for his hobbies.
Cindy Crawford celebrated Presley Gerber only months earlier while his sister detailed the toll his struggles took on her
For Gerber’s birthday in July, his doting mother shared sweet throwback snaps of him with the caption, “I’m so proud of the man you’ve become, but I’ll always see you as my little boy.”
"Love you," she added.
Her daughter, Kaia, also a model, had been outspoken about her brother’s dependence on illicit substances in the past.
“When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone,” she told Vogue last month.
“I think that’s also why I started to self-identify as the easy one and never wanted to ask for help,” she added. “Because it felt like too much to have two children who were needy.”
"The rehab facility did a crappy job," a netizen said
